The Cecil Whig., 1887-11-19

crawled into the box and the lid was
nailed down. His friend, who entered
heartily into the scheme, hired an express
wagon and had the box conveyed to the
express office. Upon the upper lid, written
in huge letters, was the following i'll
scriptlon
JOHN MCAULkY.
Continental Hotel,
Philadelphia, Pa.
| This box must be kept in a horizontal
position, as it's contents will otherwise be
ruined.
The box and the contents altogether
weighed lis pounds, and the express
charges were $S.3 In an hour from the
time when he crowded into the box, Mr..
McAuley was in an express car travelling
eastward at the rate of forty miles All
| hour. Mr.. McDermott, the other party
TO the wager became frightened as he
thought of the train speeding along over
the rails with his friend confined in
coffin. Knowing NeAuley's eecentrci-
ties, he thought THAT death might come
before he would acknowledge to be de-
| feated. Accordingly a telegram was sent
to "a point where it would intercept the
train, and an order was given by the ex-
press company /" ITS agent on the train
to refuse TO carry the box containing Nr.
| McAuley. Altoona, Pa, however, was
reached before the order Was executed.
1t was about midaight when the express
messenger opened the box, and McAuley
vas sleeping as peacefully as if he were
| in his own bed at home. When the lids
were removed he arose, stepped into the
center of car, stretched himself out al
full length upon pile of packages and
tried to continue his nap.
You can't ride on this car sall the
messenger, its against tho rules"
My charges have ali been paid" re-
joined Mr. McAuley, and you have Ito
right to put me off,"
The messenger WAS in quandary. The
human package refused TO leave the Car,
showed the receipt for the express
charges which Mr.. McDermott had slip
ped into the box, and Threatened "A dam
age quit if he WAS foIcibly ejeotod. By
dint OF argument, threats, and persua
sion, McAuley managed to remain in the
car until Philadelphia was reached, when
he sent NcDermoLt the following tele-
gram:
"Arrived as express. Total cost, in
cludiug drinks and cigars, -. 10
Mr. McAuley's eccentricities and love
OF practical jokes, however, did not in-
terfere with his business cap4 bility. He
was, previous to his retirement from
business, one OF the best known house
movers in Chicago. He WAS tor many
years foreman for the tirm OF Brown 4
| Hollingsworth, and in that capacity su-
perintsndeuded the movement OF the frat
| brick building ever moved i'll Chicago.
The building was situated at the corner
Of Randolph and La Salle streets. aud
WAS known as Jennings fruit store Tha:
| " a. III lt'pf, ociOIo vi llit
appliances we're i'll use. The simple NOV
ing OF the building from one SIDE of the
street To the other created IA great excite
ment at the time, on account OF the nov
city of the proceedings.
| 1t was the firm Of Brown & EIoilngs-
worth, McAuley being their foreman at
II
| House. In those days such All undertake
ing as that was regarded as something
stupendous. The firms engaged in the
work were Brown " Hollingsworth, Ely
s Smith and Pullman u Moore. At the
present time it is not at all unusual to
use 4 900 Or 5000 jackscrews to raise a
buildlng, but then the fact that 600 were
| required WAS sufficient to bring thous-
ands of people to watch the operation
After the contract had been signed
Brown walked over to the fremont and
stood for few seconds in the middle of
the street, gaZiug at the massive struc-
| ture before him.
tract" said he to HolIingsworth, his
partner. I'VE never can do the work"
Hollingsuorth persuaded him. how
ever, to remain in the office and let the
work go on. Another heavy task i'll
which McAuiey was interested Was rails
ing the block on Lake street, between
| Clark and l.. Sale. lie also helped build
the first car ever used by the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad. Mr.. McAuley
was was boru in the North of Ireland
seventy four years ago, and came to this
country when but mere boy. He has
been confined to his bed now for six
of his recovery.